We are delighted to now be able to confirm categorically that all three presenters will take part in the forthcoming Live shows scheduled to take place in Belfast 22-24 May, Sheffield 5-7 June and London 27-29 November. Further to an announcement by BBC Worldwide the events will not feature any BBC branding or content but there will be plenty of the stunts, supercars, challenges and the irreverent humour you know and love from the trio - they’ll also go by the new name of ‘Clarkson, Hammond and May Live’.

[Image: A picture of James May sitting at the …helm (is it called a helm in a plane, I know it is in a boat…) or the controls of a small plane. The pic was taken from behind him and James, wearing a t-shirt and jeans has his head turned and is glaring over his shoulder. Probably at the person taking the picture. The caption reads: “(218): The majority of the reason I want to get my pilot’s license is so I can use the argument “FUCK YOU! I’M A PILOT!”]

Well, at least we left ‘em wanting more. And that alone, when you think about it, is quite an achievement for a show that started 13 years ago. I know none of us wanted it to end this way, but for a moment I’d like us to look back and think about just what an incredible thing you all had a hand in creating. When Jane Root gave us the green light in 2002, the brief was to reinvigorate a car show and get an audience of three million. What you all ended up making was one of the most iconic programmes in TV history, a show about cars that went global, won countless awards, was devoured by non car fans and ended up in the Guinness Book of Records.

We had a lot of laughs, we had a lot of tiffs. We went to amazing places and we went to some ****holes. We nearly killed a presenter, we had to run for the border. We started off with whoever we could get in the Reasonably Priced Car, and ended up with Tom Cruise. Throughout all this we made television that was beautiful to look at and beautiful to listen to. The work ethic never slipped, the desire for everyone in this dysfunctional family to do right by the show never faltered. Jeremy, Richard and James, as the visible tip of the iceberg, got most of the attention and praise, but you all in your own fields had such an immense hand in weaving this unforgettable tapestry. I would love to single out everybody by name to thank them for what they did, but it’s impossible and I’d forget someone I shouldn’t have and that would be crap, so I’ll just say Jim, I’m sorry we never got a bear to drive an automatic.

For those of you who still rely on it for work, don’t worry, because the BBC will make sure the show continues. Our stint as guardians of Top Gear was a good one, but we were only part of the show’s history, not the whole of it. Those two words are bigger than us.
Anyway, when you’re feeling low in your working day at any point, look around at some of the crap on TV, then have a think about Top Gear, 2002- 2015, and say to yourself: “I made that.”
A big, big, big thank you, which will never be enough.
Andy.

I miss these two more than anything! Especially Hammond, he made the show worth watching to be honest. As for Jeremy, he always had a witty come back or something to judge but, that’s just how Clarkson rolls.

Sorry not sorry.
I hope he’s ok. He knows he made an ass of himself. Now James & Richard and him are not doing their beloved Top Gear.
He has a girlfriend? I actually have no clue. I hope there is someone.
I of course volunteer to comfort him, lol.

‘My great ambition is to be in a Fast and Furious movie. I so want to be a mad driver in a Fast and Furious movie. My claim to fame is I always do my own driving — I was on Top Gear, and I did [my lap] in a very good time. I keep putting it out there, and they never ask me. I’ll be in Fast and Furious 8. I have to say Vin Diesel is brilliant. I love Vin Diesel. He’s a great guy, smart — I love him. It’s partly because of him I’d like to be in one, but also the driving. I’d also love to do another Red-type movie, because those are such fun to do.’

I am an American, and I am very sad to see the end of Top Gear. We get it here in the US on BBC America and on Netflix, and it has been a good part of my life for many years.

Someone asked me why I was so upset to see it go, since we Americans have our own version. But our version is rubbish. Absolute rubbish.

Case in point: I watched only 1 American Top Gear episode. The Jeremy analog (JA) and the Richard analog (RA) were having a race: who could get to Las Vegas faster. (I don’t even remember their real names.) RA was driving a new Ferrari California, and JA was taking a plane. JA slept the whole way - no commentary. RA drove as if going to work, occasionally mentioning something about the car he was driving. JA won because someone woke him up when they landed. They ended up at a posh resort drinking appletinis. Appletinis!

So, I repeat, I am going to miss Top Gear. I am going to miss Jezza, Hamster, Captain Slow, and Stig. I will miss the challenges, some of which have broken Guinness records. I will miss the Cool Wall and the Stars in the Reasonably Priced Car. I will miss it all. And on that bombshell……